This site is dedicated to posting the letters my great-grandparents, Anton Widegren & Olga Carlson, wrote to each other during their courtship. The letters were written between 1915-1917 and everything that is written here was written in the letters, misspellings & all! Anton was engaged to someone else when he met Olga and decided he liked her better. She said she would not talk to him, it wasn't proper because he was already spoken for. The next day, Anton got into his buggy and drove to his intended's home where he broke off the engagement. This blog will chronicle not only their courtship but their life together.

Thursday

Kay See, Mo. - January, 1916

Mr. Anton WidegrenMorganville, Kans.

Dear Anton -It's just 8 o'clock and I tho't I'd answer your letter while I was waiting for my wash water to get warm. I'm not at the house on Wyandotte at all, but at my home on 3820 Olive. The old lady and I could not agree at all so I left yesterday and I sure am considered to be about the worst girl Mrs. Norcross ever saw. But I don't care. I'm no nigger and there are so many good places in town. Minnie was so glad I had spunk to stick up for myself. Well I know this can't be interesting to you so I'll change the subject.

I'm sure glad you got home O.K. that night altho' it was late. I was a little worried I tho't you might have to walk all the way or freeze stiff waiting for the car. Emma called up on Tues. and wanted to know if I had heard from you and if she couldn't read the letter. Said she had had two from Monson that week and she would let me read them. I told her that if I ever had a letter from you it would be for me alone. Said she told Seleen goodbye at the door that night and sent him right back. She sure is a case. Vic Olson told me you had been to the shop and he sure tried to tease me some. Said he had heard it was all over between you and the other party so he knew you were down here for a purpose, ha! ha! I said, why of course, a machine fair is so interesting. And he tried to put in a good word for you, said you were one of the best boys out there. See! He also had told bro. Axel a lot of crazy stuff about you and I, but of course Axel knew he was joking. Was invited to a party at Hannahs for the night after you were out but her lady got sick so Hannah and Mary came down to my house. Sure was glad they didn't stay later than 10:15 as I was quite sleepy.

Anna A. was with me over here yesterday and she weants me to come and stay with her tonight as she is alone yet and doesn't like to go stay with Nancy every night.

Had a card from Elna Linquist. Said she'd heard about me having company last week. She too had had the grippe. It's sure awful, it's so much sickness. I'm the lucky one, the grippe is something I've never had. I sure have a lot to be thankful for. Hope Mrs Jacobson is better, it's too bad she has to be sick so much. Minnie took sick last night, so I got up and got Alfs. breakfast this morning, but she is feeling better, so she is going to get up soon.

Well, Hildah is ready to o out so I must close so she can mail this. I suppose I'll miss a lot of mail, 'cause the old hen was so mad at me she wouldn't tell me goodbye when I left, so I'm afraid she won't forward it. I expect to be at work again on Monday, but don't know where so you will have to address me here again. Hoping to hear from you soon. Yours as ever

Morganville, KS - Jan 16 - 1916

Dear Olga: This is Sunday eve and I am back on the dear old farm, and home, and also back to the leadpencil which have to be my substitute. I feel like saying like the old song I want to go back.

But it wouldn't be well if we would get it our own way always. Probably we wouldn't appreciate those visits as much if we would stay to long. I got home just fine that night even though it took a little longer than usual. I must have missed the two o'clock car because I think I must have waited a half an hour on one and then I didn't take a country club. I got on the first one that came along. They asked me where I was going, I told them then they said nothing doing this car goes to the barn as it is the last trip tonight. So I said thats alright I will get nearer town then I am now. I stayed with it until they pulled in the barn, and made just fine connections with a Troost car so I came to the Hotel at three thirty. The boys were all asleep when I got back so they didn't know when I came in.

I was and seen all the boys at the Butter Factory in the afternoon. I wonder what Emma A. thinks of use by this time.

I got to ride with Tilly Peterson from Morganville to your corner and then I walked thte rest of the way it was sure cold that evening. I had to go in to Jacobson's and warm up. I found everything O.K. at home except my sister Amelia she is quite poorly. But in hopes she will soon recover again. I was to church today it was a very small crowd there as the weather is very cold yet. As you know Mrs. Ben Johnson died. Mr. Johnson is dead also he died four days after her, I was told, it is sure a lot of deaths of nowaday's. Such is life on this earth we do not know how many days we have left. In hopes that those few lines will fine you in the very best of health and happy. In hopes to soon hear from you. Same old pal as ever Anton

Saturday

Kay See, Mo - Dec 27, 1915

Mr. Anton WidegrenMorganville, KS

Dear Anton,

I don't owe you an answer to your letter but you sure deserve an extra letter for the dandy present you sent me. I was snoozing away in bed Xmas day, trying to catch up with a little sleep when Hildah came and dropped it on my face. I sure didn't deserve it and I thank you very much. What kind of a Xmas did you spend? Did Herbert come home? I sure have a lot to be thankful for, I had such a lovely Xmas. Minnie had a few friends over Xmas eve, they stayed all night and went with us to otta (1) in the morning. In the eve. we went to the baptist church, Sunday morning to the Immanuel church and Sun. eve to the program in the Penn St church. I'm all over the blues now and am playing the "glad game" to the limit. Tomorrow I am going to find Bertha A. In the eve, Hilda and I shall have a Ford ride with that little man. ha! ha! Wed. I am going to Marie's to stay with her all night & she and I are going out to see Anna A. in the eve. She goes home Thurs. ___ Thursday we are going out to Axels amd Fri eve. we are invited to some friends of Minnies, but I think I'll go to church. Tho't of you all as I sat in church Xmas morning. Suppose you will all have a big time New Years eve.

Well, here is another thankyou and bestest wishes for a Happy New Year. Yours as before -Olga.

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Notes - (1) Otta translates into early morning so I'm assuming she was talking about early morning church services. I'm not sure if the Hilda she refers to at the end of the letter is the same as her sister Hildah since they're spelled differently.

Friday

Kansas City, Mo - December 1915

Mr. Anton Widegren,Morganville, Kans.

Dear Anton: -

Well, I sure was tickled yesterday when I came over to Minnie's & found some mail there, your letter among them, also one from my dear Peg. And talk about me writing letters - if thats the kind of a letter you always write, I'm sure glad you asked me to write to you. So don't ever tell me you can't write a good letter.

I've been at my place now, just one week and one day. My folks are just as nice as can be, and the work isn't very hard so you see I struck it right. They are only four in family and its not a big house. But of course I had to be a baby and have the blues the very worst way the first day I was here. It sure was a torture. Och tack ska du ha for trosteorden du gaf migi breffet. (1) I know I ought to have been ashamed of myself, I haven't a thing to complain of but I just couldn't help myself. It seems a whole lot harder to think of father being gone now than it did at the time, and oh if I oculd only see mother for just 30 min., just to look at her. I didn't know I tho't so much of her. Well here I am, writing the blues right in the letter, which is another thing I ought to be ashamed of. But I am not blue anymore. I just simply can't be, 'cause I've got Emma A, Hannah J, and Anna Ahlberg right around me. Gertie was over to see me Monday night & Emma was here Tues. eve. I was going to run down to Emmas this eve, but she & Anna met me on the way and we went to Annas house, so I just got in, so it isn't at all early but I tho't I'd better write, 'cause I wont have any better chance later on. I get off about 10 o'clock Thurs. mornings, my day out, so I went out to Minnies yesterday and stayed till 4:30. Gertie came out there too and a girl friend of Hildas, so we had a real nice time. And what do you know, I get a Xmas vacation. My folks leave next Thurs to spend Xmas & New Years in Wichita, so I shall go to stay with Minnie, and we'll go to julotta too. Don't you think I'm lucky? I have to come out here 2 or 3 times to water the flowers but that will only be a nice long car ride. I live at the end of the Country Club car line.

There will be at least 5 of the C.C. girls giong home next week & Edith Johnson's beau and Anna Nyberg's Mr. Wall are going out. Anna A. sure sticks to her Vic pretty close, I think there will be something doing there sometime in the future. She and I are going to Syskonringren (2) at Penn St. church Sun. eve. she to meet Vic & I shall meet Gertie. But there will be no one to "yodel" (tears) for me. Ha! Ha! I haven't seen Bertha yet. She doesn't work so very far from Minnies so I shall hunt her up Xmas week.

That sure was a joke about that pasteboard with the kodaks. Did anyone notice it? Peg said in her letter that she was afraid the other pictures would be no good, cause the sun was too low. I'll bet she is some tickled kid, now, that Ernest is home, she has been waiting for him so. Would like to see him, also Mary. Suppose she will stay over Xmas. Anna Ahlberg tells me Charley is married, Sa gar det. (3)

I sure would have loved to helped you initiate that Ford. I'd made you wear it out before the Rev's got it. I haven't had any more car rides. That "funny fellow" sent word with Alfred for me to name an eve. when I'd go but I am ashamed of him, ha! ha! cause he is so little (Aren't you glad you're bigger?) Did I tell you his feet didn't touch the floor when he sat in the street car. I sure never saw a man so funny before.

Well if you haven't got a cold, it surely can't be contagious. I think you ought to have had one for being so ___________ you know, as a punishment.

Well I never seem to know when to stop writing. Det gar lika bra tellattskrifva som att tala, tror jag (4), but I'm afraid its like you tho't yours was, - nothing to it.

If you'll write before New Years, address it again to Minnies, 3820 Olive, otherwise to 5812 Wyandotte -

As everOle -

Best wishes for the merriest Xmas you ever had.

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NOTES: When Olga mentions "my place" & "my folks", she's referring to her job. She worked in Kansas City as a ladies maid, I believe. Or maybe a housekeeper. Her "folks" are actually the family she works for. Most of the people she mentions are friends that I don't know anything about but a lot of them are mentioned in future letters. Her referral to the "funny fellow" came from the 1st letter if you haven't already read that one. And Olga actually drew a line after the word "so" towards the end of the letter. She always seemed concerned that people (and the postman) were going to read her letters so she tended to censor herself.

Swedish translations from the Lexin Swedish-English Dictionary: (1) It basically translated out to be "Thanks you will have for the comforting words you gave me in the letter."

(2) This I could only find at one translation site and when I failed to write it down, it wouldn't let me back in to do it again. It had something to do with "brother and sister small water" so I'm wondering if since Olga and her friend were going to this at a church if it was a kind of baptismal event?

(3) Roughly, she seemed to be saying, "So goes that." I wonder what they thought of ol' Charley getting hitched!

(4) This last one is a bit jumbled in the translation but it's something to the effect of "This was fine but I believe I'd rather speak than write to you." That seems to be the gist.

Kansas City, MO - December 2nd, 1915

Mr. Anton WidegrenMorganville, Kans. Dear Anton -

Well, I am at least going to try to write, but I don't know what kind of a letter it will be as Min. and I are talking so much I might write something that we talk about and that would be awful. We are alone just now, Hildah has gone to the hospital to see a friend that has been operated on. Minnie, Alfred & I are going to picture show tonight. Do you want to go along? Last night I was good and went to the Mission church with Hildah. They are having union meetings there, the M.E. Mission & Baptist churches. But I didn't see any C.C. folks, but Edith & Paul Anderson. Paul was in the city for the day only. Well, I didn't get any farther till I had to quit and now we are back from the show. It sure was fine wish you could have seen it too. I'll bet I would make you laugh if I could talk to you and tell you all about my experiences. I'll have to save them for the machine fair I guess. I've had a long auto ride since I started this letter and I know you'd croak if you would see the guy I went with. He is quite old but so short his feet don't touch the floor when he sits in the car but he is so funny looking. He wants a girl so bad and Alf. told him about me - he works with Alfred so he took Alfred home so he should get to see me and Min was going for an errand so he took us both for a spin. The three Luth. churches have a shower for the Swed. Hospital this eve. so I guess all the C.C. girls are there. We were over to see Olga Johnson yesterday, and tried to find Helen F. but couldn't find her. Poor Olga, sure is homesick. She says it seems like a yr since she left home. If you had seen me the morning I left home I'll bet you would have tho't I didn't care at all, but gee it was hard, but I wouldn't show it 'cause it would have made it harder for mother. Had a letter from Esther today so I know mother is O.K. after her trip down there. I haven't been the least homesick yet 'cause I haven't been alone long enough to get a chance to think about it. I thought I'd write right away so you could send those pictures, but this is my first chance. We were all here for supper the night we came in. I sure felt bum, my eyes and head were so bad, and I have an awful cold. I'd like to blame that on to you ha! ha! but I can't 'cause I know I caught it in Topeka. Alf. says he is going to fix me up a whisky toddy tonight. Left my glasses with Dr. Esterly in Topeka and got them by mail today, so I'm all O.K. for that. This is the last sheet in Minnie's tablet so I'll have to quit and I suppose those neighbors of yours will think your getting too thick a letter from K.C. but "what do we care." I'm going to Axels tomorrow and also go see if I want Esther's place. I'm not sure whether I'll want it or not so I'll have to give you the address to Mins house, and don't forget to send those pictures soon and a letter too, of course. Margaret said she was going to church next Sun. eve and then to Gusts so I guess Dave will be on hand. Well if I don't close now you'll regret that you asked me to write, but such is life without a wife. Hope you are perfectly well and happy. As ever. Olga3820 Olive St.K.C. Mo.

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Notes: C.C. stands for Clay Center which is the county seat of Kansas. It was a big settling place for the Swedish immigrants. Minnie is Olga's sister and Alfred is Minnie's husband. The Axel she talks about is her brother & Hildah is another sister. I think Dave is a relative of some sort, a cousin maybe...